


The Garden's Path

by Muhkoto



Category: Free!
Genre: Embarrassing Makoto, Free! - Freeform, Friendship/Love, Gay Male Character, M/M, Makoharu Fanfiction Festival, My First Fanfic, My First Work in This Fandom, Nanase Haruka - Freeform, Tachibana Makoto - Freeform, Tropes, happy trail, makoharu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 14:55:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8106628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muhkoto/pseuds/Muhkoto
Summary: Haru always made mackerel for dinner but this night not even Makoto could expect how it'd end (hint: with unfinished mackerel).





	

“Ah, Haru, the water is still running!”

Makoto lurches from his spot on the mat and reaches out to turn the faucet off from the sink across the room. Haru stares at the spectacle of such a big guy moving so fast just to turn the water off. 

He returns from the faucet and sits across from Haru. In between them is the delicious grilled mackerel recipe that Haru made for tonight’s dinner. There is an abundance of white rice, veggies, and sake too due to Makoto’s bickering that they cannot enjoy a meal of just mackerel; much to Haru’s disappointment to say the least.

“Thank you for this meal!” Makoto says, eyes glistening at the food before him.

“...Thanks,” Haru says flatly. 

Makoto doesn’t wait a minute as he begins to dig into his meal. Growing up with his sibling twins, Ran and Ren, Makoto has learned to put his pushover attitude aside when it came to eating. It’s become quite a habit actually to scarf down food pretty fast. His mother always was a great cook and was more than pleased to hear the words ‘ _ Seconds please! _ ’ out of anyone's mouth. Actually, now that he thinks more about it, Makoto starts to slow down on his eating as he becomes increasingly more and more homesick. It’s been almost a year since he left for his Tokyo university. He gravely misses his family. He misses Iwatobi too. It’s been a little hard on Makoto to transition from such small, peaceful living to a bustling city like Tokyo. Without Haru being in the city with him, he’s not sure how he would have handled college life. They’ve been through so much together.

“-oto?” Makoto hears the final syllables of his name escape from Haru’s mouth.

He just stares at Haru as he is pulled back into reality where he should be enjoying his meal with Haru. He has completely stopped eating now, his chopsticks resting on the table as he gazes at the wall with his lids hanging lower than usual. Makoto looks back at Haru who is staring at him sternly.

“Ouaa! Sorry, Haru-chan!” Makoto squeals.

“Drop the -chan.” Haru quips.

“Ah,” Makoto puts up his hands in surrender before rolling his eyes, “what were you saying?”

“Are you okay?” Haru asks.

“Mm. I’m fine. I was… just thinking about home.” Makoto hums.

“Oh.” Haru suddenly gives out a yawn as he lifts his hands above his head which uncovers his stomach. It’s only for a moment but it feels like an eternity to Makoto. 

Makoto can’t help as his eyes immediately react to this movement until he is suddenly gazing right at Haru’s abs.  _ They’re so nice.  _ He can’t help but just stare, eyes glistening. Haru’s abs look like they were sculpted from marble. The six-pac is well defined in his muscles, yet it’s still lean for a swimmer’s body. Even though it’s off season for tournaments, Haru has managed to keep his perfectly defined body by working out practically every day. Makoto is jealous of how strong Haru is. 

He peers down a little and his drooling look quickly diminishes. His cheeks turn bright red and the color spreads to his ears and down his throat when he spots Haru’s happy trail. The mood has gone from innocent gawking at Haru’s impeccable abs to something much more hot and heavy.  _ It’s winter so of course Haru isn’t shaving as much. _ It’s subtle, but enough for Makoto to notice. Makoto feels his throat beginning to shut as his breathing slows down and he feels a weight on his chest. He’s not sure if he wants to reach out and trace his fingers down Haru’s body in amazement or look away before Haru notices. Before he can finish another dirty thought, the shirt is brought back down along with Haru’s arms.

“We’ll be able to go back to Iwatobi soon,” Haru exerts from his yawn. 

Makoto whips his head to the side to make it seem like he wasn’t just staring at Haru,quickly bringing his hand over his mouth to stop any possible drooling that had occurred. However, he can’t hide the fact that his entire body is almost trembling. The hair on his neck is standing straight as he contemplates what would have happened had he been caught. His throat is still heavy and it makes it hard for him to speak.

“Mm. Yeah.” That’s all Makoto is able to get out. 

Makoto, head still turned to the side, hears Haru get up from his spot.  _ Maybe he did see I was looking at him?  _ While Makoto is waiting for some sort of burning rejection, the next thing he knows wet lips are making contact with the side of his cheek in a kiss. Makoto almost jumps backwards from this but Haru sits down next to him and scoots close so their legs are tangled together. This calms Makoto down, yet his throat still burns with pressure while he’s processing what’s going on. In desperation to feel Haru’s warmth and comfort, he proceeds to wrap his arms around Haru’s body to pull him in as close as he possibly can. And then, they just sit there like that. 

Minutes turn to hours as they cuddle for the rest of the night. Legs always entangled together. Bodies close together. Makoto’s throat heavy with emotion. He is paralyzed with emotion as his brain scrambles to find reason behind everything.  _ Did Haru really kiss him earlier? Was it just to comfort him? Is Haru letting them cuddle together? Did Haru finish his mackerel dinner?  _ It was almost too much to process. Makoto’s mind raced over every scenario in his head; he tried to figure out of this meant much more than just a friendly gesture. After all, Haru wasn’t letting up or pushing him away. Maybe Haru was just being -- well -- Haru. Haru always comforted Makoto in weird ways. Most likely because Haru wasn’t the greatest at picking up emotional cues, but always knew ways to calm Makoto down: like touching. Or maybe this meant much more. Ever since moving away, they have usually slept in the same bed together. Worn each others clothes. Taken each other out for dinner. Friends would always tease them that they acted like a couple in their honeymoon. Maybe this meal had ignited something much more passionate. 

Makoto can’t help but blurt out, “I’m glad we’re together in Tokyo.”

“Me too,” Haru says. 

They slowly inch back on the couch that’s directly behind them, and together they fall into a light sleep even before finishing their meal.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to my beta, [Jess!](http://misakis-saruhiko.tumblr.com/)  
> [My tumblr](http://ionlywritesoumako.tumblr.com/)  
> I'm sorry it's not very long too!!


End file.
